In recent years, electro-optical equipment is increasingly replacing electronic equipment for certain applications, for example, in telecommunications networks. This trend is expected to continue because of the inherent advantages that electro-optical equipment has over electronic equipment for these applications. In order to interconnect various pieces of electro-optical equipment, fiber optic cables are used. The fiber optic cables comprise an optical fiber surrounded by shielding with connectors at the ends thereof. In appearance, the fiber optic cables resemble electric shielded cables, such as coaxial cables. The fiber optic cables are often 5 to 200 meters in length. Different kinds of connectors, for example, simplex or duplex connectors, may be attached to the ends of the fiber optic cables.
Heretofore, such fiber optic cables have been stored by winding them into coils and placing them in plastic bags. However, plastic bags are not entirely satisfactory for storing fiber optic cables. The plastic bags, because of their thinness and suppleness, offer little or no protection for the fiber optic cables. The plastic bags also do not offer any simple means of uniform stacking. As a result, the fiber optic cables tend to be heaped in a mass. This makes it difficult to identify and remove a specific fiber optic cable, such as a fiber optic cable of a specific length or having a certain kind of connector from the mass of other fiber optic cables. Moreover, when stored in plastic bags, the connectors, often made of metal, can rub against each other and against the shielding of the fiber optic cables. Thus, the plastic bags do not offer any protection from the connectors themselves.
Accordingly, there is a need for special packaging adapted for storing a fiber optic cable which provides protection for the cable from external sources. In addition, there is a need for a fiber optic cable package which prevents the connectors from rubbing against each other and from rubbing against the shielding of the cables. There is a further need for a fiber optic cable package which is easy to stack and provides ready identification of the fiber optic cable stored inside.